Full Metal Alchemist: Blood Snake
by Strife in the Goat
Summary: Ed and Al get closer to finding the mystery of the Blood Snake, but now, the dead are involved, and they must stretch their ingenuity to the max to even touch them. Chappie 10 up R
1. The beginning

Full Metal Alchemist: Blood of the Snake

Ed felt his blood race. Nothing was left...They had killed all of them. He looked over at the stained floor in disgust. _How could anyone do this? _He grunted and grabbed some dirt, pouring them onto the dead. Then he felt the floor groan under more feet. He turned around to see the new commander.

"Commander Ji-yu."

"Full Metal Alchemist. What am I seeing here?"

He walked past Ed and studied the dead bodies. He sighed and closed his eyes, crossing his heart and muttering a prayer. Then he opened his eyes and sadly watched the mangled bodies.

"Well, go on, tell me."

"Huh? Oh yes.It seems that some rebel alchemists came here and held them hostage for some ransom."

_Moron. Give up. You're not getting out of here alive. _

"The hostages were all State Alchemists. They fought the rebels and this was the outcome."

_Ah! My bloody hand! You son of gun! Get over here. _

"It probably was not an easy battle, don't you think Edward?"

"Of course. Fuhrer Mustang was one of the hostages."

"Mustang? Roy Mustang!"

"The Flame Alchemist of course. Do you not see the burn marks all around? It seems Mustang was blasted out of the building. The bodies of the ransomers are here, burned to a crisp. Mustang has still not been found."

_Roy knew he had no choice. He summoned his strength for one last blow. Bloody hell! He's trying to alchemize us. Bloody good that'll do ya! Then the flames lept and encased him in an inferno. The screams echoed throughout the room as Roy laughed weakly and shot randomly, laughing hysterically now. The building weakened and cracks appeared everywhere. A fire had lit in his eye. Roy was gone._

"Something is not right Commander."

"Oh, and what is that, pray tell me Edward Elric."

"Look at the ransomers. They are burned, but as you can see, some of their body parts are missing. They're clothes were also flame proof."

"Maybe they were wearing sleeveless?"

"Even so, there are also parts of their chest missing. And they are also charred thoroughly."

"So. what's your point?"

"These are not the real bodies."

"Very good Full Metal one."

"Huh?"

"Keep up the good work. I'll put in a good report."

"What the hell! You think this is a game!"

"No. I withheld the information to see if you were the right person for the job."

"Right..."

"Oh? Do you deny me? I'll just put Hawkeye on the mission. She is experienced."

"No no! I'll take it Commander."

"Good. Carry on."

Ed gritted his teeth and faked a smile. Ji-yu smiled hesitantly, than left. The nerve of that guy! He didn't know how that moron made it to Commander, but at least he had enough sense to let Ed take the job. Ed checked the bodies again and saw something he had missed. His eyes widened. Then, wordlessly, he left the room, scared of what he had seen.

Al was waiting for him outside. His metal body clinked as he walked towards his brother. He could see that Ed was troubled. Then he saw a sheet of paper crumpled in his fist, held so tightly, it was ripping slowly.

"Brother. What is that?"

Ed grimaced. He had hoped Al would not notice but that was nearly impossible. Al noted everything about him, taking care of him like he cared for Al. He slowly opened his fist. There, a symbol lay before them. Al's eyes widened and he stepped back.

"It-ttt can't be! They're back?"

"Ah Al. This is the sign of the Homunuculus."

"But...we got rid of them when we found the Philospher's Stone."

"Right and wrong Al."

"Huh?"

"If you look at the markings, it's different. There's been a red drop and snake added."

"So, they're homunuculus, but different?"

"Yeah Al. We got a new thing here."

"Do we have to go after them?"

"Yes. They stole one thing that the government wants. The red water stones."

"They're trying to strengthen up!"

"We gotta stop them before they get too powerful."

"But where to start?"

"That's what we have to find out Al."

Ed walked past Al as Al looked back at the building. He had a strange feeling...Someone was watching him...

"AL! C'mon!"

"Oh right!"

Al took one last look at the building and then ran after his brother. But what he did not know was that he was being watched. A pair of vibrant violet eyes stared out of the shadows of the building. It laughed aloud, happy that the pair had found the trail. They would soon get what they wanted.

Ed and Al went back to their house. It had been given to them as a temporary shelter when they were on missions. They fell gratefully onto their beds. They had researched for hours and hours on the symbol and more on Homunuculus.

"Al. Did you see what the snake and the red drop meant?"  
"Yeah. It means the Blood Snake. What do you think that means?"  
"Al. I researched the Blood Snake and I got nothing. Just one sentence on it. Everything else seemed erased off the memory banks."

"But, we have full access to the library."

"I know. That one sentence was crap too. _The Blood Snake is a tool that was used long ago to bring birth to blood on the world."_

"Sounds like it killed?"

"Ah! My brain hurts. I'm getting some sleep."

"Hey brother. You know I think you grew a few inches."

"Really! Great. I'm getting taller!"

"You were so short before remember brother."

"WHO'S SHORT AS A BEAN!"

"I didn't mean it like that brother!"

"I was joking Al. Oh man. This means we'll have to visit Winry and get my leg reconfigured."

"Your arm too."

"Right. Good night al."

"Night."

_He was dead. He knew it. But he could see that man. The valiant one with flames. He flashed out with the flames, to the cries of pain. The men were getting hurt. Good for them. His soul was retreating into the air. He withheld. He wanted to see what happened. The man was getting triple teamed by the men. They gripped him as 4 other people came with bars and whacked him. Another three stood to the side calmly. Then the man snapped. He sent flames everywhere. It was literally bursting out of him. The three calm men now stood alert and they cried out unrecognizeable words. The man's flames backfired and the whole building started to burn..._

Ed sat up with a start. Sweat was dripping steadily down his face, as he breathed hard. Was this what happened in the building? Calm down Ed. You thinked enough today. Just sit down and rest.

_The monster was everywhere. Blood dripped from the men that it attacked. It grabbed one and threw it into the air. Fear was everywhere. Shrieks of torment and yells of death pierced the clouds. Nothing could stop it..._

Ed opened his eyes hastily. Why had that thought come to him? He had never seen this memory. He sat up on his bed and gripped his head with his hands. What was going on?He finally calmed down enough to fall asleep as the moonlight crept into his bedroom.

Wings: Alright alright, i know this was very short, but hey, i'm having a little writer's block. Along with constant interruptions.

Ed: Who's short?

Wings: Shut up.

Al: Um..what's gonna happen to us? You did so much horrible things to your otehr characters...

Wings: hehehe, you'll just have to wait and see.


	2. Wishes

Full Metal Alchemist :Blood of the Snake

Chapter 2: Wishes

The next day, Ed and Al shouldered their packs which were full of supplies for their trip to Winry's. Also, came a gift for Winry. Ed looked back at the office where he and Mustang had had their mock fights and arguements. Was he really gone? Al tapped his shoulder and pointed to the large clock tower. It was time.

The train skidded to a stop, the wheels screaming against the tracks. The doors opened wth a whoosh and everyone crowded in. Ed and Al played their traditional poker in the train and as usual, Ed won. Ed smirked as he quickly dealed the cards and swiftly switched his cards with the ones in his sleeves. Before he could complete it though, Al gripped his arm.

"I knew it! You were cheating brother! How could you?"

"What are you talking about Al? These are...um...part of a spare deck I keep in my sleeve?"

"Oh really? I thought you were cheating. Sorry."

Ed could not believe the stupidity of his brother and was about to voice this thought, when Al's hand smacked the back of his head.

"Liar!"

"Geez! That hurt. It took you that long to figure it out huh?"

"Why...you..."

They argued and mock fought throughout the trip until it was lunchtime. Exhausted, Ed ordered a small turkey sandwich and looked at Al. Al could not eat, of course, since he was just a metal suit. Al looked forlornly at the food and sighed.

"Don't worry Al. We'll find a way to make you normal without me dying..."

"Let's hope brother, let's hope..."

The train traveled on, as the sun came lower and the sky turned blood-red. Al stared outside, while Ed's eyes clouded over, thinking of the past.

_Brother! Brother!_

_Al! Al!_

_The glowing circle, burning into his eyes...The physical pain, the heart-wrenching pain inside him..._

"Brother, we're here."

Ed cleared his head of those memories and sat up to see they were back. Back to where it had all started.

"Purgatory huh..."

"What'd you say brother?"

"Nothing Al...Nothing at all."

They walked outside of the station, to be whacked by soft white. Snow was floating gently down from the sky. Lights were in the air and happiness rang out into their ears.

"Christmas! I forgot brother..."

"I did too Al. It's a good thing we brought a present for Winry."

"Yeah, she would have killed us."

Laughing merrily, they walked past all this joy, into a dark desolate past. Al walked steadily, but Ed felt the pain stab his heart again. They were back, after all this time...

Winry was attacking a new piece of auto-mail. It was almost time for Ed to get reconfigured. She felt the knock before she heard it. Ed and Al were here, after all this time. Opening the door, Ed and Al smiled broadly and lifted a wrapped box to her.

"Merry Christmas!"

Flustered, she smiled and gave them both a big hug.

"Ah...Ow..Winry, my lungs!"

Laughing, she let go of them and wiped a small tear from her eye. Then she whacked Ed in the face and grabbed his ponytail, swinging him to the wall inside. Then, she took Al and threw him over her shoulder, loving the screams they were making.

"Winry! What the hell!"

"That's what you get for staying away for so long!"

Ed was angry, but he could never hurt Winry. He grimaced and grumbled. It was true, they had been away for a long time. But it was because of the work...or was it because they didn't want to know...didn't want to face anymore...Why had he accepted job after job so eagerly? He looked out the window towards their home. It was gone now, decayed with time. As Winry shivered with anticipation, she unwrapped the present. Ed kept staring out the window, lost in thought. Then he saw it. A flicker of movement at their home. Ed opened the window and looked out. He could make out a man-shaped figure. Shaking with rage, he whipped around and tore the door open.

"Al! Someone's at our house!"

"What!"

Ed's yellow eyes flashed as he and Al ran out, with Winry behind them. Who was that person? What was he...or she looking for? He grimaced as he felt the pain ring out through him. Mother...

"Brother! He's coming at you!"

Ed saw the...thing... come at him. It was fast. His yellow hair rippled as he dodged the tackle, while alchemizing his metal hand into a deadly blade. But before he could swing back and attack, he was slashed across the back and thrown to the ground. He cried out as a searing pain climbed across his back. Warm blood was dripping down and he felt a knee ram into him. He coughed up more blood and lay down. The thing went off Ed, thinking he was dead, when Ed grabbed its leg and swung it. Al grabbed it and slammed it to the ground. As the moonlight started to show up, they saw it was a he. An alive he. The man whacked Ed in the nose then flashed a strange claw like hand. Smiling, the man looked at the trio. The man wore sunglasses and they glowed green. Ed got up and saw that it was a database.

"Edward Elric, Full Metal Alchemist, taboo victim, creator of Wrath. Alchemizes without circle. Yellow eyes, yellow hair, red jacket, and State Alchemist. Alphonse Elric. Brother of Edward Elric. Taboo-victim, soul sealed into armor by a blood seal. Winry Rockbell. Daughter of Rockbells from the war. Auto mail maker. Database complete."

"How the hell did it know all that!"

"Brother! Get away!"

Ed turned around in time to see the man twist his arm and reach into his jacket.

"Oh you want my jacket huh!"

Ed ripped it off, showing the curse he had come upon. The metal arm. He swung back and kicked the man across the chest. The man stood unfazed. Then he looked at his hand and smirked. The man stared at Ed, entranced as Ed became sleepier and sleepier. Finally, Al yelled as Ed crumpled onto the ground, the man laughing hysterically as Ed lost unconsciousness.

"Look. He's coming around..."

Ed slowly opened his eyes as the light filtered into his sight. Winry and Al looked at him as he gingerly sat up. His arm and leg had been reconfigured while he was asleep. The metal was lightweight yet very durable.

"You don't want to stand up yet. The metal gets strong after a few days, so you'll have to stay here."

" Brother, are you ok?"

"Yeah. Al, what happened?"

"That man made you fall asleep..."

"Hypnotism."

"Yeah. Then he just disappeared. Like evaporating air or something."

Ed wanted to fall asleep, but then felt a familiar weight gone. He reached beside his belt. It wasn't there!

"Al...He took my watch."

"What!"

"Why would he do that?"

"That's what I'm hoping to find out."

"Well. You two will have to wait till after Christmas so that Ed can get his leg set."

"Do you mind if we stay here Winry?"

"Of course not. But on one condition. I'm coming with you."

"Ah...Fine. No sense in arguing with you."

The trio smiled as they felt Christmas joy creep back into them. Winry held out a big plate of cookies and grinned. Then, they all lept onto it, grabbing around for cookies. Their laughter echoed in the house as Winry's present, a glass dog, twinkled in the light.

Meanwhile, a mysterious figure with violet eyes watched them. It fingered the silver watch tenderly, eyes gleaming.

"You have done well. This watch is all we need to revive our knowledge. You will be rewarded."

"Thank you master. All is according to plan then?"

"Yes. They have taken the bait and bit more than they can chew."

Then the figure threw its head back to let out a chilling laugh. It grew louder, almost a shriek as he laughed and laughed. The servant shivered as he felt the darkness in his master. It would soon be over. Soon...

Wings: Alrite. A little longer but not by much.

Ed: Ow, i got battered so bad.

Wings: That's your fault

Ed: how?

Wings: You're short

Ed: WHAT!

Wings: fighting off Ed Cya


	3. Burden

Full Metal Alchemist: Blood of the Snake

Wings: I finally found a wonderful alien to speak to!

Alien:I got a question for you to ponder about

Wings: And that is?

Alien: How is it that you humans cannot conceive the fact that you are not in control?

Wings: Um...well it seems that we feel vulnerable when we are not in control of the things that could endanger us.

Alien: I pity you humans.

Wings: Ah shut up you windbag.

Alien: Am I a windbag?

Wings: Oh for God's sake! You turn even insults into psycological observations!

Alien: This shows how naive you humans are, wasting your energy and time on insults.

Wings: Lord help this poor soul

Alien: I think it is you humans who are the poor souls

Chapter 3: Burden

A week had passed since Christmas. The snow was gone now, nothing left but the bitter cold. Ed's leg and arm had been remade and configured to his height. Now he ran in the pasture, testing out the auto mail. The metal was composed of a new alloy that was lighter than a feather, and yet still durable enough to be as strong as the bone of dinosaur. It had then been reinforced with a metal coating that would make it a bit heavier, but even mroe durable. He could run faster now with the heavy burden of his old auto mail gone. The wind whipped his hair back as he smiled. The sun was shining brightly, even though it was still cold. He finally stopped to let Al catch up. Al clunked over, the metal body echoing his hollowness. Ed felt a pang in his heart. Would Al ever turn back? Ever feel the wind again, the sunlight bathe him in its golden glory? He lay down on the grass, his red coat gone. The grass felt cool against his remaining human body parts. He felt the pang again. Was his mother the cause of all this torment? Was she punshing them for something? He felt betrayed. His mother was punishing them for breaking a law that they had diligently learned, stupidly ignored. He felt even more guilt for thinking his mother was the cause of this. If he had believed in religion, he would have blamed Satan, or anything else that resembled the devil. He felt the betrayal and guilt slowly wash away. He was to blame. He had pushed Al to this, pushed himself to this conclusion. Al stood still, knowing that his brother was in deep thought, his armor glinting in the sunlight.

"Brother...shouldn't we get going?"

"Ah! Get yourself together Ed. Yea! Let's get going."

Ed stood up and with Al, he walked down the path and towards a new intersection road. One way was to the train station and the other to Winry's. Ed looked at Al and he nodded.

"We should leave Winry behind. It's too dangerous."

"Right Al. Let's get going."

Winry saw them leave. She had been using binoculars to stare at some birds when she had seen Ed and Al start to leave. They probably thought it was too dangerous for her. And they were probably right. She lowered her eyes, invisible tears falling down from them. How many times had they just left? How many more times must she feel their pain and develop more of her own? She took one last look at the road and put the binoculars down. They clattered on the floor as Winry crumpled onto her knees. She now cried freely, small snuffling sobs echoing into the room. A hand touched her shoulder. It was her grandmother (is it aunt or grandmother, someone tel me). Winry cried, not caring if anyone was watching. She could not handle the burden anymore. She could not take care of them...

"Winry, they never asked for you to take such a burden. You undertook it yourself, so at any time you may drop it."

Winry snapped her head up, her eyes wide. She could...no! She wouldn't. They needed her more than she needed them. She was their only support, the only thing left from their horrible childhood. But wouldn't it be better if that childhood disappeared? She was so confused. Finally, her thoughts settled into one complete answer.

"No grandmother. I will not give them up. They need me."

Her grandmother nodded and smoked her pipe. Winry looked out the window, noticing the clouds gathering. It was going to rain soon. She sniffed once and got up onto her feet.

_Ed...Al...be careful, come back safe..._

Ed felt a shot go through his heart. Something was wrong. He looked outside, to see the darkness surrounding the sky. Wasn't it just sunny? He knew that was not the only thing troubling him. It was Winry. She had always been with them since the start. _Why was it growing so dark? _She was like a sister to them. _Other people started to notice the darkness. _Nevertheless, they always left her behind, for her own safety, and to do what they had to by themselves. Was this simply a matter of pride? _The lightning flashed into the air. _He felt an all-new feeling. It was a warmth towards Winry. Did he..._The lightning seemed a little too close. _Did he actually...

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ed crashed back as lightning slammed into the train station. All the lights shut down, the screech of the train brakes split the air. People immediately panicked and screams spread out one by one. Al ran to Ed, wondering what in the world was happening. Ed stood up, slightly singed, but not damaged.

"Al! Stand back!"

"Wha...?"

Another lightning bolt struck out of the sky. It hit the ground in a blue wonder. A burning smell filled the whole station. A haunting laughter filled the air. A man-like figure stumbled out of the blackened area. The laughter continued, becoming more hysterical. Ed felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He couldn't help but shudder. Al shook slightly, scared of what would appear. Suddenly, the smoke surrounded the man completely as if it did not want to be seen. Ed stared into the darkness, into teh infinite blackness. Two crimson eyes showed through the smoke, staring right through him. _The color of blood..._

"Edward Elric..."

Ed felt his eyes follow the red eyes as it moved around slowly and steadily. He grew sleepy and then crumpled on the ground.

"Brother!"

The man swiftly went to Ed, the smoke still covering him. Al started towards Ed, when he felt it. The man was grinning. Something was wrong. The man put his fingers behind Ed's neck and Ed's eyes pierced open, something different. Al's eyes widened. Ed screamed a piercing shriek, bouncing off the walls, echoing in everyone's minds. He kept screaming, the pain clear in his voice. Al felt the pain and saw his brother stagger up. Ed grabbed his head and shook it, stumbling as he fought to keep his balance. He fell on his knees, still clutching his head, still screaming. Then the scream changed. It turned into a throaty chuckle. Then it grew into a laugh, more chilling than the man's had been. Ed looked up at Al and Al froze in place.

"Al...Come here Al."

Al stood frozen. His brother's eyes...they were different. The mischevious glint, the sparking life was gone. It had been glazed over and the yellow dulled by a misty...red. Blood red. Ed smiled and then alchemized the whole ground. Al saw it before it came. But it was too late, he was already sailing into the air. As he fell, he reached out to break his fall, but Ed slapped his hands onto the ground again, sending an alchemized concrete spike pierce into Al. The hole was large, about the size of someone's head. Al's eyes dulled, he was losing life. Not because he was in pain, but because his brother had done this to him..._Brother...Brother...BROTHER!_

Wings: Yea i kno, it's really short. But hey, i got the climax to worry about. hahaha

Ed: Im possessed!

Wings: Yea, you're better that way.

Al: Myt brother! You evil son of a...

Wings: No swearing! Cya later!


	4. Turmoil

Full Metal Alchemist: The blood of the snake

Wing: No comment. Except, try to review. I got one faithful reviewer who wil remain unamed unless he wishes to be found.

Al felt fear strike into his heart again. His brother's eyes...they were a misty red. Ed smiled and slammed his hands onto the ground, causing an alchemized landfall. Al flew into the air, reaching out to stop his fall, but instead, Ed alchemized a concrete spike to pierce the armor. Al hung there, supposedly dead. Ed grinned, his dull red eyes laughing at Al. Suddenly, Al's head snapped up, revealing an alchemy circle on the spike that he had drawn. As Ed's eyes widened, a part of the spike lashed out at him, slamming him into the ground. Ed's legs and arms scrambled around, trying to alchemize the spike but he couldn't. Al shakily walked over to Ed, the hole gaping out of his chest. The blood seal that held his soul together, that gave him life, wasn't damaged at all, yet why did he feel this pain...pain in his heart? Ed continued to struggle as Al looked on, unconsciously causing himself pain. Not physically of course but emotionally. How could his brother do this? Why...? Al looked at the man engulfed in smoke. He had done all this, every single part of it. Al's eyes gleamed with anger as he roared a cry of pain, anguish, and fear. The man's smoky crimson eyes glowed, staring directly at Al. Al saw in his eyes, the blood of so many lives, the blood of so many deaths. Al stepped in, kicking the man in the gut. The man remained unmoved, as he tried to punch Al's seal, but Al dodged and gave a hefty uppercut to the man. The froze, still unmoving, then slapped Al across his face. Al swung back and started to punch furiously, but the man always blocked him. Finally, Al charged him, his heavy footsteps banging onto the ground. Al slammed his fist into the man with a satisfying crunch of the bone. The man froze, surprised, then gripped Al's hand. Al's eyes widened, how could anyone survive that? The man looked into Al's eyes, his lips curling into a maniacal smile.

"You fool."

Then he tore Al's arm off, crushing it, cracking it. Al yelled in surprise as the man slammed his hands into Al, an alchemy array glowing inside Al. He smiled and backed off, as Al screamed a piercing shriek. With a bang, Al's armor blew up into pieces. The man laughed and picked up a piece of Al's armor. He crushed it, the blood seal changed into dust. The wind carried it away as rain fell, destroying the seal completely.

"Alphonse Elric is dead and the Full Metal One is in our control."

The man felt the light instead of seeing it. The blue light of alchemizing. Ed had alchemized the ground to destroy the spike holding him down. As Ed stood up slowly, the man turned and touched Ed's shoulder. Then he punched Ed in the stomach, knocking him out. The man drew out a red stone from his smoky depths and placed it near Ed. Soon, Edward Elric would be fully possessed. The man stood laughing, the chilly laughter sounding out, mingling with the raindrops falling, and the many cars disappearing into the city, all of those who had escaped feeling the horrible laugh.

Winry toyed with the glass dog, remembering the old times with Al and Ed. How once they had fought over who got to "marry her" and how they had spent so much time at the rivers in the backwoods. She sighed happily, then frowned. How happy they had been then. Now they were always in torment, seperated by a curse. She looked at the glass dog, deep into its depths, staring at the yellow glint from it's eyes. Al had said Ed had made it with alchemy. Those same yellow eyes...Then she heard a yell of pain, a shriek of death, and the cry for help. Her eyes widened as the glass dog cracked into pieces, crumbling in her very eyes.

"What the hell!"

She knew why it had cracked, yet she wouldn't believe it. Was Ed in trouble...? Al...Ed...NO! She slammed her palms onto the wall, tears leaking out of her eyes. How much more...more pain...she had asked this question before. Her whole body shaked, shivering with fear, as she picked up the map to the train station. Ed...Al...please be alive...

Ed groaned aloud, his deep yellow eyes opening hesitantly. Was he dead...? What about...Al! He jerked up looking for Al, only to see black. Nothing. What the hell was going on? He got up gingerly, his whole body aching. But most painful was his heart. He nearly cried out because of it. What in the world was this pain? Where was it coming from? As he thought this, the blackness twisted and morphed. A single image showed up. A single person. But one who made Ed stop dead. Mother...

"You sick son of a..."

His mother smiled at him, her glowing brown eyes asking him to be happy, to be free. His body complied easily. Walking foward, he felt the wetness of his cheeks, the leaking eyes. But nothing mattered. His mother was here, in front of him after all this time. He didn't care how it came to be, he just knew it was true.

"Edward-san, come here."

Her gentle voice called out to him, soothing his horrors, torture, and pain. It was filled with happiness and love, compassion and joy. Ed took one step towards her. She was real...she had to be. He took another step then, felt a rip through his heart. What the heck! He clutched his chest, as something pulled his heart, his soul away from her. The pain was sharp, he couldn't face it...He roared a sharp cry as his heart pulled him back. _Mother...Mother...MOTHER!_ He kept away, his will the only thing holding him together as he ripped his bond off, the bond that held him back. He immediately realized the mistake...AL!

Rain fell as the dust of Al disinegrated completely, his life gone forever. Something glinted in the rain and a squirrel picked it up. Carrying it in its mouth, it left off, gone.

Ed clutched his heart as more pain spasmed into him. Al, you're gone...why? How could I break our unbreakable bond? How...why didn't you show any resistance...? The pain slowly dulled as his mother stepped towards him. He looked up at her and smiled, showing he was alright. His mother nodded then stepped back. He was about to turn away when...

"Asshole!"

He whipped around and looked at his mother. She wasn't her. She looked like her, felt like her, yet she wasn't her. His mother would never have just nodded if he was in pain. She would make sure herself if he was alright. His eyes glowed as his rage builded into him and he started to alchemize his arm when...

"The hell!"

His hand was normal. Completely normal. So was his leg. What the hell was going on? He looked up to see Winry there. Why the heck was she here? She smiled at Ed strangely. He narrowed his eyes. Something was wrong here. He grunted as he looked for something to alchemize. Nothing. How would get rid of these fakes. He grinned then punched Winry in the face. Her flesh seemed to grow hard as he struck her, his arm in pain. These fakes were harder than he thought. He shook his arm, the pain freshening up as his arm turned red. He looked at the two fakes with flashing eyes. If only he had his auto-mail. He stood in his dilemma wondering what to do. Then he looked at his right hand. Nothing to lose. He alchemized his living hand as if it was auto-mail. He shrieked in pain as he felt something hard connect with his shoulder. He looked to see his skin peeling off and his flesh melting as his auto-mail appeared, streaked in blood. He smiled and ripped the peeling skin off. He alchemized again his arm, to change it into a blade. Then he struck the fakes down, slicing through their bodies easily. Their blood and skin was real enough, but their souls were completely different. Ed flicked his arm, ridding it of the blood.

"You should have known. All the people I care about are connected to my heart. Too bad your's wasn't."

Then he alchemized the whole blackness, surging his strength into it, roaring in exhaustion as he started to break out.

Winry ran to the train station and found Ed on the ground. She perched him on to the stone walls of the station, so that he sat up. He wasn't moving or breathing at all.

"Ed. Ed! ED! Please...answer me Ed. I don't want to lose you."

She shook Ed, but he continued to stay unconscious. She stood up, exasperated, looking for Al. Maybe he could help her. But he was nowhere in sight. Except for a blue dust on the ground...AL!

"No...NO! ALPHONSE! GET OUT HERE! THIS ISN'T FUNNY!"

She shook violently and drew herself onto the ground. Al was gone...gone forever. Her tears streamed off her cheeks, spilling with the rain. Ed continued to stay frozen. Winry threw herself on Ed and hugged him.

"I won't lose you too. I WON'T!."

She rocked Ed as he battled with the darkness in his mind. Ed finally was able to open up a portal, only to find that it was a memory of his father, Hoenheim. He angrily shut it off and dug a new portal. When he opened it, he saw a memory of him and Al fighting. He shut that too. Then he dug a portal, but this time it took longer...much longer. When he finally burst through, he wanted to die. _Al...Scar...Hoenheim...Mustang...Hughes...Winry...Mother...Homunuculus..._He couldn't stand it. He saw Scar dying, lost in the Philosopher's Stone's grasp. Hughes dead. Hoenheim gone. Mustang's disappearance. Then...Al.

_"Come on Al. We can do it."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Of course."  
The blinding flash, the sudden change of power, the Gate...Screaming people clawing for his leg, Al gone, Al forever gone. His arm disappearing to those...things...the pain, the unspeakable pain. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_

Ed clutched his head, as the memory crashed into his mind, bouncing off again and again. He screamed again, his lungs about to tear off. WHY? WHY! He shrieked into the darkness, wailing his sorrow.

"What the hell!"

Winry clutched Ed as he shook vigorously, screaming piercingly. _What's wrong Ed!_

Ed felt a new feeling. A happy feeling. _Winry..._He could feel her. So close...He dug towards her, a portal to her. The black retreated ever so slightly but surely. WINRY! He clawed his way over, feeling for the happiness. Finally, light burst through and he felt the wet rain splash onto his face. Winry was holding him tight, crying. He reached over and touched her face and she smiled and gasped.

"Ed!"

"I'm back Winry. I'm back. Where's Al?"

"Al...Ed...Al...is dead."

"WHAT?"

"His armor is gone. All gone."

"That doesn't matter as long as the blood seal..."

"The dust over there's the ony thing left."

He walked over to the dust and saw that it wasn't wet. Not even a bit. He saw the blood on the dust. This was the seal!

"Winry...this isn't it."

"Huh?"

"I made Al a waterproof seal that would act as a decoy. This isn't the real one. The real one would've disentegrated,"

"Then...where is it?"

Ed sighed and look around for clues. Only some animal tracks...That's it! Ed told Winry to follow him and he followed the tracks to a hole in a tree. Squirrels! He reached in to find the squirrel trying to bite through the seal.

"You filthy little..."

He took the seal and immediately alchemized it. A glowing spark ran out and then more kept coming. Soon, Al's outline was in sparks, then it turned solid. Al looked at his hands, not believing this was real.

"Brother! I'm back!"

"I know Al. Al tell me. Who did this?"

"I don't know...but I got one thing!"

"What?"

"The man...I saw his arm...the man, had the homunuculus sign with the blood drop..."

Ed backed away slightly...unaware of the danger he and Al had caused...

_Have they done it? _

_Yes Master. Edward Elric was able to break through like you said._

_Good...We now know what we must do. Are you ready Shin?_

_Yes, Master, I am._

Wings: woah? What's gonna happen?

Ed: I'm alive!

Wings: Too bad...

Ed: WHAT?

Wings: HAHAHA. CYA!


	5. Exile

* * *

Full Metal Alchemist: The Blood Snake 

Wings: Thank you reviewers for reviewing. It means a lot that you guys also flame me. I can get a lot through that.

Aliens: Goo goo gaga

Wings: forgot, i turned the Alien into a baby...who knew aliens cant poop. thank goodness.

Chapter 5: Exile

Light shined through the window of the train. Ed and Al were playing their classic game of poker. Ed sweated nervously as he looked at Al's cool, almost taunting grin. They stood at a standstill for a moment, watching each other. Then both slapped their cards down at the same time.

"I win! Four aces Al. That's the fifth time."

"No way! This is impossible brother. You were never good at this game...hmm..."

"What?"

Al eyed Ed as he nervously looked around, not making eye contact with Al. Al looked around Ed then saw it. A slight bulge in his sleeve. Al grabbed the sleeve and pulled it out.

"ED! YOU CHEATER! YOU ALCHEMIZED YOUR HAND INTO A CARD SHOOTER!"

"It's not what you think Al!"

"ED...!"

A bird whistled its tune as a torturing scream wailed out into the air. The bird itself jumped a foot in the air, wondering what that had been. Then it flew off.

Ed lay unconscious on his seat, as Al tried his best to fan his brother back to consciousness. He moaned and slapped Al, who slapped him so hard that he fell off the seat.

"AL! WHAT THE HELL!"

"You're okay brother!"

"I feel like I got hit by a 2-ton truck."

"Oh...about that hehe..."

"AL...!"

Winry dusted the floor with a broom, keeping her eyes on the ground.

_Winry, we're leaving._

_Why?_

_We have to face this thing alone. Goodbye Winry._

_Come back alive you jerk!_

She sighed and continued to dust the floor. No one could stop Ed once he wanted to do something. It was like trying to stop a volcano. Impossible, unless you had supernatural powers. She smiled and looked out the window, in the direction she thought Ed would be.

_Death..._

_Who are you?_

_I am you._

_Who am I?_

_That is what we must find out..._

Ed woke up from his dream. Who had that been...? He shook his head, clearing it of all the nightmares he had had. They had been traveling in the train for a week now because of delays, a herd of ducks, a stampede, and a place that rained monkeys. Strange weather we have now, he thought. He looked over at Al who slept contently on his seat, curled up into a ball as best as he could. Ed smiled and hung his head back. Soon, they would reach Central. Soon they would have answers.

Meanwhile, in the slums of Central, a man arose from the cinders of a fire. He groaned aloud, feeling his way around, for he was blind. The man hesitantly walked around, feeling the alley's walls and the hard tough ground.

"Hey, move the hell away ass hole!"

The man had bumped into another man, who instantly shoved him into the mud. The blind man could only see white, but he could still hear.

"Retarded this guy is."

"Let's kill him. He'll make some good stew."

"We ain't flipping cannibals."

"We will be if this inflation keeps going up!"

"Ah, screw the inflation. We'll kill him for the fun of it."

They struck the blind man into the dirt once more and ripped his tattered clothes into shreds. They took sticks and beat the man over and over again, spilling blood from his skull onto the wall. Finally, the blind man collasped, his head bleeding and raw. The men laughed and kicked him in the ribs. Groaning, the blind man clutched the leg and dragged the man down. With a yelp he kicked his face, much to the laughter of the other men, and drew a pocketknife.

"I'll skin you alive you son of a gun."

Suddenly, the blind man heard a woman.

"Stop this! This man is weak and homeless like the rest of us."

"Move lady, or I'll kill you."

"No!"

Then he heard jeering, a slap, and the woman collasping. A baby cried. The woman was a mother! Suddenly, the baby's cry was cut off and the woman screamed horribly. Not in pain. But in sorrow. He felt and heard the drops of blood fall onto the ground and flow all around. He couldn't believe it. No...The baby...

_The Fuhrer. His "son". Choked to death. NO!_

The man roared in anguish and punched the man nearest to him. It didn't matter about blindness now. He could hear them, feel their fear, relish in their blood. He slammed his fist into another one, breaking his nose, spilling even more of the scarlet liquid. Then he felt for the first time, the gloves he had on. Who was he? He had been thinking about that all day. Now he knew.

"Die."

He flipped his fingers out and rubbed it on the glove. The air ignited in a flurry of golden flames burning the men as they screamed in torture, in pain, dying. Roy Mustang smiled as he ignited them again and again, burning their corpses into ashes. Then he turned around to the woman who stared at him in awe.

"Madame. Let me help you."

The woman hung back, scared, shaking. He felt her touch the dead body of her baby. She wrapped him up and ran away from Roy Mustang. For Roy Mustang, was back from the dead. Back from exile.

Ed walked out into the train station with Al. After, one whole week, they had made it to Central. Ed was hanging back, as Al stepped out first into the light and fresh air. Why was he holding back? Was it because...because...everything after the "incident" started here? Everything...

"Brother! Come here quick!"

"What is it Al..."

Ed's mouth opened up and hung there as he saw a wonderfully tanned girl standing in front of him. Her hair was dark with pink locks in the front. Rose...

"Ed. Nice to see you back!"

"Rose? Why are you here?"

"I work in Central now Ed. Surely Winry told you?"

"Uh...No..."

He wondered why Winry didn't tell him. Ah who cares! Ed stared at Rose again, her flushed cheeks made it seem like she had been running. Her dark skin kept magnetizing his eyes to it. Her clothes were a simple tank top with some short pants. Yet he almost drooled when he saw it. Rose laughed and took Ed's hand. Suddenly, her look was serious.

"Ed...Commander Ji-yu wants to see you at Central Military."

Ed froze and looked at Rose. Ji-yu? Why...?

"Ok. Come on Al. Nice meeting you Rose!"

"You too Ed!"

Ed and Al walked into the streets of Central, not knowing that they were being followed. A pair of red and violet eyes appeared. The two "things" looked at each other.

_Is it them?_

_Yes._

_The ones that made..._

_Of course._

_Good..._

"Al."

"Yeah?"

"I wonder how we're going to get in without my watch..."

"They have to know you. You're the famous Full Metal Alchemist!"

"Haha. You're right."

Ed then walked straight into a gun. He looked at the soldier who was pointing it at him and shoved the gun aside.

"Insolent child!"

"Who you calling child lower rank!"

"Whhaat. How dare you!"

"Nyah Nyaha! I'm the Full Metal Alchemist. So get that crap away from my face."

"Oh so you are huh."

"Of course."

"Oh wow! I never imagined such a shortie to be the Hagane No Renkenjutsushi."

Ed's vein pulsed in his head as he tightened his fingers into a fist and walked over to the soldier.

"What did you say...?"

Commander Ji-yu heard the gunshot. Probably some peasant, he thought.

Ed whacked the soldier in the nose, causing him to fire the gun. The other guard prepared to fire, but Ed alchemized his hand into a shield and blocked the bullet. Then he alchemized it to a blade and slashed the gun into pieces. He whacked the guard in the heck, knocking him out.

"Come on Al."

"Got you!"

A loud uproar was in the Central Base. Three soldiers fired at Ed and Al, calling them intruders. Ed dodged around and Al yelled in panic.

"Why are they shooting us brother!"

"I guess they don't remember me much!"

Ed finally turned a corner and alchemized the wall into a blockade. The men crashed into it and started to run another way. Ed sighed and turned around right into a rifle. The soldier shakily touched the trigger and Ed simply slashed the gun in half with his blade arm. The soldier fainted on the spot. Ed and Al grinned and ran for their lives.

Commander Ji-yu rolled his chair around as he heard Ed and Al enter into the room, seriously disheveled.

"What happened to you?"

"Those damn ass soldiers don't know who I am that's what!"

"Enough. I have a report here. It's for you."

"Wha..?"

Ed picked the report up and Al looked over his shoulder at it. The report fell onto the ground as he stared wide eyed at the picture and print on the sheafs of paper.

"AAAHHHHHHHHH!"

Wings: I kno short short. But you guys ahve no sense of climax.

Ed: It was so horrible. So...hhhoorrribbllle...

Wings: Get over it. Cya.


	6. Memories

Full Metal Alchemist: The Blood Snake

Chapter 6: Memories

Ed gaped at the sheafs of paper. It was their whole journey recorded on paper! How could anyone do this? What could do this? Al stepped back aware of the horror in the papers. Commander Ji-yu merely drank some black coffee, waiting for Ed to respond. But he couldn't. He was lost in the memories of his past...

_Renkinjutsushi...Alchemists...they are people who can activate the gate inside of them to transfer energy from human lives to recreate and decompose. Edward Elric was a child when he first learned alchemy. He learned that to alchemize, he must learn the Law of Conversion. You must sacrifice something of equal value to recieve something in return. Edward and his brother Alphonse Elric broke this law. They tried to revive their mother with nothing to sacrifice. Instead, Ed lost his arm and leg, Alphonse his whole body, and their mother's corpse reduced into a homunculus, an entity from the Gate inside every alchemist, it takes control of the body used in human transmutation to give itself a body with no soul. Consuming Red stones strengthened them, making them nearly immortal. Yet they still had weaknesses. The homunculus helped make the Philosopher's Stone for Dante by creating large masses of wars to make the human lives needed. Indeed, the homunculus were doing evil things but only for the sake of making themselves into normal humans and helping out other humans from reaching this fate. Edward and Alphonse to reclaim their bodies needed the Philosopher's Stone._

_"We searched for it and obtained it..."_

_Al was transformed into the Philosopher's Stone with the ancient Art. Edward died trying to save Al and Al using the power of the Philosopher's Stone brought him back to life. Ed, then ruined it by sacrificing his life to remake Al's body using the 4 years of memories and work they done. He was transported to beyond the Gate where he stayed. Al as a ten year old boy, traveled with his sensei to relearn a way to bring his brother back. But he knew that no amount of studying could bring his brother back without a human sacrifice..._

_Ed meanwhile as in World War I with his father Hohenheim of Light. Ed scrambled around lifting his rifle, used to not using alchemy anymore. He fired a shot, pinning a man on the shoulder. Cries of terror roared into the air and the air raids whistled mortifyingly as they fell to the deaths of many men. Gas was ejected all over as Ed slid to a bunker, covering his mouth._

_"Edward, my son, go to the second bunker!"_

_"What! Why?"_

_"They're about to bomb it..."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"Just do it ED!"_

_Ed gulped and nodded, then fired a random shot into the air, satisfied to hear a scream of pain. He then slid into a roll and ran for it to the bunker. He fired a few more shots, blood spraying onto the ground. Suddenly, he felt the heat of flames as a missile crashed into the bunker had come from. Father...Hohenheim... _

_"To-chan!"_

_Ed looked at the bunker, fear in his eyes as he saw why his father had sent him away. But what about you Hoheheim? How could you not think about yourself? Suddenly, he saw Hohenheim rise from the blazes, the flames winking out like candles. Truly you are magical To-chan..._

_"Edward!"_

_Ed whipped around to see a bayonet about to stab into him. His eyes widened as the bayonet came closer to his ribs, unable to stop it, the blood rising in his eyes. Suddenly, he was at Winry's. He stood frozen. Winry...?_

_"Winry what the hell!"_

_"Ed! You're back!"_

_"What happened! I was in a war past the gate..."_

_"I know, Al..."_

_"Brother, I did it."_

_Ed swung around to see Al back in his armor. Al smiled sheepishly and waved hesitantly._

_"Al..? Where's your body?"_

_"Brother, I spent many years training in alchemy. I sacrificed my body and memories for you brother! But you still lost your arm and leg...since that was how you were."_

_"Why Al?"_

_"Because brother, at least when I was in armor, you were still with me. It doesn't matter about the body. I think I like being bigger than you."_

_"WHAT!"_

_"Hahaha..."_

_Ed and Al were back, into the way they were after the incident. Ed told Al all about the other world and about their 4 years together looking for the Philosopher's Stone. When Ed got to the part about Scar..._

_"Brother...Do you think Scar will ever come back?"_

_"I don't know Al. He was doing evil things yet he was a good guy. I heard he ripped his arm off to save you. He can't be all bad..."_

_Then Ed broke down, seeing the flashes of red as he remembered how the Philosopher's Stone was made. Archer...That bastard. _

_Ed had gotten rusty in alchemy, so he studied at the Central Library with Scheska. Al stayed with Sensei to learn to control the new power he had of using alchemy without the array, for everyone who tried human transmutation saw the gate making them able to do alchemy with their hands alone. Al finally mastered it, but still liked using chalk to create his arrays. Soon, they were reinstated both of them to the military. Al declined, but Ed joined again to make sure they had access to the library. Ed became the Ensign Hagene No Renkinjutsushi. He was below Major, but he was able to gain full access to all the files in the library. Ed became more powerful in the military as Mustang became Fuhrer. Soon, Ed was Lieutenant Commander. As Ed and Al accepted new missions, they took more of their time to work harder and to solve new mysteries. They had to work harder to resist becoming dogs of the military completely. One day, Al spoke to Ed._

_"Brother...Are we doing the right thing?"_

_"Al...We have command in Central now. We can continue to study the Philosopher's Stone and alchemy to one day revive the lives of all those who died for our sake...Hughes, Marcoh, Scar...and remember, there are still homunculus out there..."_

_"Yea..."_

_Then, the day came...A riot had occured in the Central alleys. Ed was ordered to check it out. When he got there he saw hundreds of bums attacking military officers._

_"Please desist! Hold still! What is your damn PROBLEM!"_

_The bums halted for a second until one very audacious man cried out to Ed._

_"You filthy dog of the military! You keep us here, starving us, killing all of us. Now we want retribution!"_

_A cry of acknowledgemnt came out from the crowd as they attacked the officers once again. Ed alchemized the walls, crushing many of them. Blood seeped through, splattering unto the rough cement._

_"You filth! You killed our comrades for no reason!"_

_"You call attacking officers no reason!"_

_"OF COURSE! YOU CALL YOURSELVES PACIFIST MAKERS! PEACE CREATORS! BUT ALL YOU DO IS KILL IF SOMETHING GETS OUT OF YOUR CONTROL."_

_Ed stood frozen, for this was exactly what the military was. Was...Ed alchemized a dome to surround and trap the rioters and left before he applause sounded out. At night, he sat on his bed, weeping, sobbing. Was the military still like this? Why? Was is this gone? Did Mustang change things? Had he been creating chaos all this time? He stayed in the depression for days, not eating, not sleeping. All he did was ask himself those questions, never answering himself. Finally he came out of the depression when he asked himself why he had joined the military._

_"To survive..."_

_The day Ed came out of the depression, he was called out to a burned building where there had been ransomers..._

Ed dropped the report and looked at Ji-yu. He stared straight at Ji-yu and saw something. Something different.

"Ji-yu..."

"Yes Hagane No?"

"You are not him. Wrath."

Instantly, the body of Ji-yu crashed onto the floor and blood spilled. Wrath emerged out of the shell and grinned.

"How'd you know?"

"Ji-yu was looking a bit bulgy. And those eyes..."

"Very good _Ed."_

Wrath spitted out his name with disdain and looked at Al. Al was staring at the body. Wrath smiled and pointed at Ed.

"You. You killed my mother, your own mother. I was thinking about this while I was away. I could'nt comprehend any of it. Until _he_ showed me the way. He showed me power, he showed me who had caused the problems. It was all _you. _Now I'm here for revenge!"

Wrath transformed his auto-mail into a blade and charged at Ed, who stood frozen at the mention of his mother._ Had Sloth...been his mother? Why was Wrath kidding himself, he was a homunculus_. Wrath slashed his blade down as Ed looked at Wrath blankly. Blood spilled onto the Ji-yu's desk, smearing it with red...

Wings: Woah! Stopped!

Ed: Am I dead?

Wings: Guess...?

Al: Why wasn't I attacked.

Wings: Cause, you're not important.

Al: WHAT?

Ed: So important people die?

Wings: No. I just hate you. I nvr said u died anywayz.

Ed: But did I?

Wings: Maybe...Muwahahhaha (fights Ed off and slaps him in the face.) Cya.


	7. Wrath

Full Metal Alchemist: Blood Snake

Wings: As i know, most of you are annoyed with chapter 6. I was too when i read over it. But hey, i gotta explain things that you guys dont know. Maybe it wasn't necessary but i like torturing u ppl muwahahahaha!

Chapter 7: Wrath

"You. It's all your fault!"

Wrath reached over to his auto-mail with his right hand and alchemized it into a blade. He sneered, staring at Ed. Ed just stared blankly and Al was too shocked over Ji-yu's body. Perfect. He charged at Ed, swinging the blade up high. The glass from a window exploded into the room. A sickening slash sounded out in the room as Wrath charged back. Blood splattered onto Ji-yu's desk as a young man with long yellow hair stood in front of Ed, his arm slashed off. Ed continued to stare at nothing. Meanwhile, Al finally gained his senses and saw the homunculus Wrath in front of him and another person.

"Who the hell are you!"

Wrath directed the question towards Shin. Shin merely grinned and held the stump of his hand up. Wrath's eyes widened as he saw Shin's blood travel up to his stump and reform his arm.

"I am Shin. Blood Homunculus."

Wrath recoiled at the word homunculus. He had thought all the other homunculus had died. _Lust...Gluttony...Envy...Pride...Sloth...Sloth...Mother!_ Wrath absorbed Ji-yu's desk and transformed it into a crossbow with alchemy. He took the metal parts of the desk to make bolts. Then he fired them at Shin who dodged to one side and flipped over a bolt coming at him. Al charged Wrath, who performed a round-house kick to send Al flailing. Ed cleared his mind of all his torturous thoughts that he had had. He gritted his teeth as he saw Al crash into the wall. Then he cried out and hit Wrath heavily with his auto-mail. Wrath was sent backwards, but he continued to shoot bolt after bolt. Shin jumped onto the ceiling and bounced off it, flying towards Wrath. He shot into Wrath like an arrow, knocking his breath out. Then, Shin ripped Wrath's crossbow leg and flung it out. Wrath cried out in pain as he felt his leg detach. He reformed his leg and knocked Shin to the side with his auto-mail arm. Ed grabbed Wrath's auto-mail leg and flung him out the broken window. Wrath fell 3 stories, perfectly calm the whole way. At the last moment, he righted himself up and landed on his feet with a heavy thump. He then looked at Ed three stories up and smirked. Ed roared out a challenge and jumped down the three stories. Wrath moved back, startled by this move. Ed landed immensly on his auto-mail and felt the sluggishness start to come out from intense use. Either way, he moved nimbly enough and punched Wrath. Wrath blocked with his arm and kicked out towards Ed. Ed grabbed the leg and held it.

"Why are you doing this!"

"Because...because...I want you to die!"

Then Wrath spun around and caught Ed in the chest with his spare foot. Then he swung his trapped foot out of Ed's grasp so that Ed overbalanced and fell. Wrath sneered and gripped Ed's shirt. He lifted Ed up to eye level then stopped.

"You're still short."  
Then he punched Ed's ribs with his auto-mail hand and sent him flying. He laughed for a moment, then felt the ground vibrate as someone else fell from the window. He whipped around to see Shin catch him in the chin. Wrath backed up, blood bubbling from his mouth. Shin reversed his body and kicked Wrath in the stomach. He stumbled back, clutching his gut, and threw up a red stone. He looked at Shin. How could he do that? Only alchemy could do that and a certain array at that. Shin smiled and showed his palms and feet to Wrath. There he saw it. Each had the array, but how could such a small array even weaken him?

"I know what you're thinking. _We_ strengthened it up with red stones Wrath. The master is not pleased with you."

Wrath flipped his head up. The master? How did this person know him?

"Oh I know him Wrath. I serve him. Like you. He told you to wait. To wait until _I_ captured him! But no, you had to go out for your own revenge."

Wrath felt anger boil into his blood as he saw his mistake. Then he turned away from Shin and chuckled.

"Ok then..._Shin._" He spit the name out like Ed's."I will obey you for _now._ You may complete your mission to capture the Elrics. But leave the short one for me."

The unconscious Ed wiggled as the remark was made. No one noticed it though. Wrath turned to face Shin and let his fierceness show. Shin looked coldly at Wrath, showing nothing to betray his emotions. Wrath turned, knowing there was nothing else to say and ran off into the street. Shin watched him for a moment then turned back to his current dilemma. He looked at Ed and studied his characteristics. How ugly. Shin stood straight up and bent over to pick Ed up. Then he felt a spasm of pain crash into his head. He saw events that had never happened to him, never had been in his memories until now.

_A cathedral. A mother...a father also...a brother...a girl with yellow locks and a slightly robust body...homunculus...the old woman Dante...and..._

"The Gate!"

Shin staggered back from the memory as he held onto the Gate, the only way home. He gripped his head and looked Ed with one open eye. He would have to finish the job later. This was too important. He felt the pain lessen, so he slowly walked away from Ed, towards the only person who could answer his questions. _Master._

_

* * *

_  
Ed opened his eyes to find that he was in a hospital. He winced as he felt the pain that had been numbed flow to him with full force. He gingerly sat up, feeling the pain mostly around his ribs. Probably broken...He looked to the side and saw Al, sleeping, but not harmed. He gave a sigh of relief and then sensed that another person was here...

"Full Metal One."

He whipped around to see Hawkeye. The sudden movement he had made jerked his rib so that he cried out and clutched his ribs.

"Your ribs are broken nicely. Whoever hit you, hit you hard."

"It was that asshole Wrath."

"Wrath...? Who?"

"You don't know him."

"May I ask who he is?"  
"Mustang might know him, but ah yes. He's missing. Well, Wrath is a homunculus."

"Well we know many were not recovered or found, but I think this Wrath person is deeper."

"He is."

Ed looked over his shoulder to see that Al was awake. He was staring sadly at the ground, but Ed could see a towering anger build behind the sadness.

"He was created when Ed gave his arm up for me and when Sensei tried to revive her son. The son's body was turned into Wrath, but Wrath took my brother's arm and it grew with him so that Wrath can alchemize. Wrath regarded another homunculus, Sloth, who..."

"She looked like our mother. She tried to be too, but we don't know if it was a ruse or real love. She gave care to Wrath who tried to make her his mother. When I killed her, he swore revenge and went to Dante so that she would revive her. But Dante ripped his left arm and right leg to give to the Gate."

"After Dante was gone, he went with me and Winry, since Ed was gone. Winry made him an auto-mail similar to Ed's and then he disappeared. I wonder why he's come back now?"

"He told me that some guy told him the _truth_."

"What? You mean the Gate?"

"No Al...No..."

Hawkeye listened intently then straightened herself up and brushed her uniform.

"It seems that they found Mustang."

"WHAT!"

"Yes...it was on the news. We're not completely sure, but a few men in an alley were burned to death. A woman claimed that a man with white gloves had burned them all."

Ed looked at Al who nodded.

"That's gotta be him."

"We have to make sure though. It seems he's disappeared either way."

Ed winced as another spasm of pain hit his ribs. He gritted his teeth then remembered his auto-mail. He looked at it to see that a bolt was loose, but that was all. The jump hadn't really weakened it. Good old Winry. Hawkeye saw the problem and after a few moments took a wrench and twisted the bolt back in. Ed grinned and then fell back on the bed exhausted. Al stood up and Hawkeye also.

"We'll leave you in Ed."

"You can stay."

"No, you need you're rest if you are to help me find Mustang tomorrow."

Ed imagined finding Mustang in the streets with barely anything on. How embarrassing it would be for the Fuhrer. He snickered to himself, imagining blackmail. If you talk about my height again, I'll tell everyone about your condition in the streets. As he laughed the last laugh aloud, he fell into a deep sleep, as Hawkeye and Al left the room.

* * *

Mustang clung onto the tattered cloak he had on. He had foraged it from the trash. This place was like purgatory. No wonder people hated the government. No one did anything to stop this. He resolved to stop it once he got back to the military, but he had no idea where to go. His blindness was really a problem right now, but he somehow felt the enviroment around him. Either way, he could not make details. It would be useful in a fight, but not to find his way around Central. He stumbled around, feeling his way through the alley, every once in a while tripping on a fallen trash can. He thought he had seen it all when he had been in war, but this...this was so much worse. Death was an every-day thing here, so much death that people never noticed. It was an invisible death. _Sorta like a huge war in a small place,_ he thought. Except it was a war against death itself, which was impossible to win against.

* * *

The next day, as sunlight creeped into Ed's room, the nurse opened the door to Ed's room only to discover him gone. Ed walked with Hawkeye, his rib nearly healed. Ed had recovered quickly somehow and was in a very cheery mood. He walked and sometimes skipped with Al and Hawkeye as they scoured the slums of Central for Mustang. Suddenly, Ed saw a flicker of movement in his eyes. Mustang. They saw him, covered in a pitiful cloak, completely helpless. He was staggering around like he didn't know where to go. Then Ed saw his eyes. Hawkeye gasped and covered her mouth, he yellow bangs bouncing helplessly on her forehead. Al moved back a step. Mustang was blind. Suddenly, Mustang grabbed at Hawkeye, who flinched but didn't move. He sniffed at Hawkeye and moved his arm towards Ed. He felt the auto-mail then sighed in relief. 

"You finally found me."

"WhaaWhat happened to you!"

"I died Edward. I died. Now I'm back."

Then Mustang laughed an echoing chuckle, that shattered the air as it flowed out. Ed shivered and felt Al do the same. Hawkeye's eyes flickered as she saw that Mustang was right. He was dead. For now...

Wings: Short again. Seems all my chapters are short! Haha. I try to keep the minimum 2 3/4 page. So most of the time its 3 pages long at least on my program.

Ed: So ugly Mustang was.

Wings: Speak for yourself.

Ed: Why you little son of a...

Wings: You are now possessed!

Ed: Duhh...

Wings: Hahahahahaaha! Well, cya.


	8. Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist

Full Metal Alchemist: The Blood Snake (or Blood of the Snake)

Wings: _To death you will read and to death I will write. REVIEW! lol._

Ed: Does that seem extreme?

Wings: Yeah you're right. Who cares?

Ed: Hey, I'm not readin hahahhahah!

Wings: Keep talking and I'll give you something...hehehe

Wings: Thank you honorable reviewers! Reached the ten mark already. Going for 25. Wooh hoo!

Ed: You guys know he's just milking you to read his horrible writing rite?

Wings: THAT'S IT! (pounces on Ed)

Ed: NOOOOO!

* * *

Chapter 8: Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist

Ed watched over Mustang as the Flame Alchemist breathed into the oxygen mask. He had fainted right after he had been discovered in the alley. Ed was distraught and horrified by how horrible the sight had been. He could not even think of blackmail anymore. Mustang's tattered clothes were burned, as they smelled of brimstone. He was in a horrible condition, falling into a coma shortly after his faint. Now he rested in his bed for several days, before he ordered Ed and Al to come in.

"EDWARD ELRIC!ALPHONSE ELRIC!"

Ed and Al rushed straight into his room and with his order, sat down on a chair each. Mustang flicked open a lighter and started to smoke.

"Hey uh...Fuhrer, can I have one?"

"Brother! You can't have one! You're too young!"

"Sure."

Mustang flicked one at Ed who happily chomped it between his teeth without lighting it.

"Ah...It's so soft."

"Edward Elric...I hear that you are on the Burning Scenario."

"Huh?"

"The mission of the burned building!"

"Um..."

"Oh for crying out loud! The mission you're on right now!"

"Oh right..."

"I have something to tell you."

Ed swung his head towards the Mustang. A lead? Of course, he was captured by them...he must've heard something.

"What is it?"

"They are as you probably already guessed, homunculus..."

Ed's eyes widened as Al moaned a soft utter of fear. Homunculus, created from the failed taboo of a human transmutation. They did not have souls, so they ate the Red Stones. It was a weak version of the Philosopher's Stone and was created from a toxic water, that killed all humans, but gave homunculus lives. Homunculus could not use alchemy usually, but they each had their own bodily deformation for battle. He lowered his eyes as he saw how difficult this would be. He had never actually killed a homunculus. The only one he had truly fought was Pride, the one who looked like his mother. He had killed her only by transmuting her body into ethanol. She did not truly die, but evaporated for good. The only way to kill a homunculus was with a special alchemy sign, that had to be large enough to rid the Homunculus of all of its Red stones. Also, you could kill it until all the Red stones were spent, but that took forever.

"But...Full Metal One, they do not die."

Ed's eyes widened once again and he took an involuntary step backwards. Al stepped forward towards Mustang.

"What do you mean?"  
"They are those who have fed on the Blood of the Philosopher's Stone."

"What?"

"The Blood Snake, is the Philosopher Stone in the form of a snake. A powerfully large snake, built for destruction. It was released rarely in all of time, but when it was, all that came in contact with it died. Until, a group of homunculus infused with its blood and became immune to it, or immortal."

"But they can die right?"

"No...There is no way as of now..."

Ed put his hand to his chin and pondered over the statement. No way right now...

"Wait...if there's no way right now, then there can be a way later right?"

Mustang sat up completely and slumped over the blankets. Of course...That was why...?

"Edward, there is a way."

"What? What?"

"It is their body part."

"Body part?"

"Yes...Each of them have a special part of their body that is not immune to attacks."

"So...we just have to figure out which one?"  
"Exactly."

"But how do you know this?"

"The people who kidnapped me...They were worried about parts of their body. I thought they just had cancer but..."

"_Arigatou-_Thank you Mustang. This will help us a lot."

"_Iie._ No. There is nothing that can help you except for yourselves."

Ed stared at the helpless person in front of him with pitiful eyes and then turned away as he heard Mustang mumble. Al bowed his head then started with his brother.

* * *

Mustang watched them leave, heard the forlorn slam of the door closing. It echoed into his mind as he slept, remembering his tormenting partner.

_Roy Mustang had been in the military long enough to be in the Ishbal War. Here, he had proved his infamousy by using his flame alchemy. His sparks of golden light lit whole towns on fire, burning people with agony. He did this beacuse he had to, he told himself as he looked down at the bloody gloves he wore. One day, he completely lost it. He knew he had to, but he did not want to, he did not want to kill the Rockbells doctors. But he did. Their blood sent a stench that made Mustang vomit as he cried out, his soul screaming his pain, his loss, his insanity. Mustang then became obsessed with human transmutation. He knew the consequences, he wanted to die. He felt the horror as a kind of relief. He fell into a depression as he lost the trail of human transmutation, his way of dying gone. Finally, he decided to try it after he worked a small theory. He did not care of the risks. But Hughes knew the tragedy his friend was going through, so he confronted him. _

_"Baka! You fool! What do you think you're doing?"_

_"Dying...Reviving..."_

_Hughes gripped Mustang's shirt with unbelieveable strength. He grinned strangely and looked him in the eye._

_"So...you're just gonna throw it all away huh? Let all those lives be in vain!"_

_Mustang's mind and eyes were opened then and he stood helpless to the guilt traveling in his veins. Hughes backed off slightly and slapped him. _

_"There. Maybe that'll clear your twisted mind."_

_Mustang lowered his eyes. He knew what he had been about to do. Yet, he still felt the guilt. Hughes let go and put his arm around his shoulders. Then he grinned._

_"Look Roy. Remember their lives, don't let it be in vain. You do what you have to do. I'll support you from below and you better make it fool."_

_Roy finally let out a weak smile as Hughes walked out the door, his resounding steps echoing in his mind. _

_Hughes had been powerful enough in the military, a trained soldier, and one who kept his promise to Mustang and pushed him up. But he died. As Mustang watched ove Hughes's grave, he shed no tears. He knew this was coming, yet he had done nothing to stop it. He remembered Hughes's promise yet it seemed ironic as he saw the title on his grave. Brigadier Hughes. You made it past me Hughes. Even though you tried to keep me above. _

_Roy wanted revenge. He knew Hughes had lost his life in the hands of a homunculus. After months of search with the Elric brothers, he confronted the Fuhrer, a homunculus in diguise. As blood splurted out of his shoulder, he sparked his hands at the Fuhrer, who cut through it and slammed into Mustang. He saw it all. How the Fuhrer was weakened by his bones. How he choked the boy who was his son as the kid brought the bones out. How the boy died. How, while he was weakened, Mustang took the Fuhrer's skull and used his blood to make an alchemy circle and burned him into ashes. There, he knew, that this was what Hughes had told him. Do not die, for if you do, all those lives are in vain. He had tried to help Mustang defend himself, and Mustang had learned._

"Baka...Fool, Hughes."

* * *

Ed's red coat flapped behind him as a steady wind blew past him. Something different was happening. Ed grimaced as he felt the wind become stronger. Even Al had a hard time keeping his balance. Ed walked difficultly to a tailor. As he issued instructions, Al looked up at the sky, to see a black hole appear. It was so minute that at first, he almost didn't see it.

"Brother..."

"And I want some gold embroidery on it and KEEP THAT SYMBOL!"

"Brother!"

"WHAT!"

Ed whipped around to Al, only to see the fear in his eyes. He then looked in Al's view of perspective and saw the hole, the giant black thing emerging out of it. A howling roar whipped across Central, screeching in immense rage. Ed grabbed his newly made black coat and stormed out of the door. Al followed closely behind as the black thing landed roughly in front of Ed. It was a wolf-like thing, with lustrous black fur, piercing blue eyes, and a horn. It's four claws gleamed razor sharp and its strong legs flexed as it jumped into the air with a bound and struck down. Ed grinned, then whipped back and showed a newly made glove from the tailor. Mustang had mumbled that he should try flame alchemy. Ed snapped his fingers to release a burst of leaping flames that surrounded the wolf thing. It roared in pain then slashed the flames out of existence. Ed stepped back then alchemized his hand into a blade, adding the flame alchemy to create a flaming blade. He was a golden inferno that flew back and forth, creating a twister of flames around the wolf, as it howled in pain again and continued to strike at Ed. Ed's luck finally ran out, as the wolf's claws sudenly extended and pierced his shoulder, throwing him back onto the streets. The infernos died down as Al yelled in surprise. Then he lifted a large part of the road off and flung it at the wolf, who jumped onto the piece, flipped over it, and twist kick into Al. Al clattered near his brother.

Ed grimaced as he felt the warm blood fall from his shoulder in clumps. Then he stood wearily up and alchemized the ground into a large granite cage to trap the wolf in. The wolf roared as Ed yelled in response and the wolf broke through the cage, charging Ed. Ed met the wolf with a his blade, as he alchemized several light poles, to create a larger blade.

"WHY DO WE GET ALL THE BAD LUCK!"

Ed slashed the wolf onto the ground, as it flipped over and extended its claws again into Ed's leg. His auto-mail held as he slashed the wolf's arm off, with a stream of blood. The wolf cried out and slashed its arm down at Ed. Ed dodged to the side, ready to strike, when the wolf balanced on the arm he had slashed with in a handstand, flipping to the side as Ed completely missed. Then it mightily stabbed Ed in the torso, and spun, throwing Ed skidding across the road. He stopped with a trail of blood after him, his whole chest bleeding, completely opened up. He floated in his own blood as it flowed out into a puddle. Al struggled to get up and help his brother.

"Brother! Brother! ED!"

Ed heard none of this as his eyes glazed and his blood spread all over the road, the wolf seemingly laughing at him as Ed died.

* * *

Wings: You're dead (pointing to dead Ed)

Silence

Wings: Finally I killed you. (cracks up!) Ahahahahaha!

Ed: Wtf!

Wings: You thought you died! Hahahaha! Just wait!

Ed: You son of a bitch.

Wings: (sticks tongue out) That's what you get ass hole. Cya!

PS: It was so short!


	9. Sakuya, Shinsigami

Full Metal Alchemist: The Blood Snake

Wings: What have we got here? A dead Ed and an unconscious Al. Ha!

Ed: You bastard...

Wings: Watch that language!

* * *

Chapter 9: Sakuya, Shinsigami

Ed skidded across the road as he saw the wolf thing laugh at him. His blood was rapidly pouring out of him, smearing across the granite. Finally, he halted to a stop, his blood pouring into a puddle under him. He knew he couldn't stop it, whatever it was. That wolf thing...looked like a werewolf. A werewolf from the book Scheska had shown him called the Mythology of Nyaku, a province close to Britain that was recently settled. This was a Nyaku werewolf, supernaturally stronger than other werewolves, but unable to infect its wolfness. Ed weakly tried to get up as the werewolf wandered towards him sluggishly, obviously taunting him. Ed's blood boiled with rage as he got up hearing his brother's cries. He stood up, as the blood started to clot and stop pouring. Then he looked at the wolf with new resolve. He flicked his hand out and wearily shot a flame bolt at the wolf. The wolf easily dodged and roared. It charged him as Ed slowly ran to the side, staggering. He was so heavy...so heavy...

* * *

The wolf slashed outwards, catching Ed's arm. Fortunately, it was his auto-mail, so he twisted around and smashed his spare fist into its skull. Howling again, he alchemized the ground and let it wind under the wolf, sending it backwards. From behind, Al alchemized a part of a building into a large ball of metal to crash on the wolf. It roared in defeat, howling until the ringing echoed in Ed's ears. Then it extended its claws and slashed through the metal like paper. Ed's eyes widened as Al alchemized his arm quickly into a blade similar to Ed's and tried to cut the wolf. But he did it half-heartedly, without the usual vigor. Ed knew that Al loved animals, so he probably still thought the wolf was harmless. Ed realized that he was too cocky, for he thought he could beat it, so he barely tried. He cried out as Al was slapped aside, the armor half torn. Ed screamed in anguish and alchemized his blade with any metal around him with one large burst of blue. It became huge, glistening in his blood, as his wounds reopened. He slashed at the wolf, who dodged and struck at him. Ed fell to the side feeling woozy. The wolf closed in on him, its tongue drooling with hunger as it lifted its claw for the final blow. As Ed closed his eyes, feeling the pain already, he felt nothing. He opened his eyes to see a silvery blade blocking the wolf's claws an inch from his face. He looked to the side to see a girl dressed in a samurai/modern fashion. She grunted and threw the wolf's claws to the side, flicking her silver blade as it gleamed with the wolf's blood. She lifted her blade to eye level then disappeared. Ed startled let out a gasp as the wolf was thrown to the side, wounded on its side. The wolf roared horribly as it tried to sniff the girl. But she kept disappearing and a heat wave or something appeared right where she had been, and then she slashed down on the wolf. It struggled to get up, feeling the heaviness of the blows. The wolf refused to give and finally caught the girl in the stomach, winding her and sending her into turmoil, as she skidded onto the sidewalk. Ed scrambled up, seeing his chance, and stabbed the wolf at its unprotected back. It roared in pain, spreading spittle, and fell to the ground. Ed finished the job with a few hacks at the neck, cutting through the throat. The blood laid heavily on his auto-mail, making it creaky. He didn't care, but he wondered how Al and the girl were doing. Al, with his torn armor had wandered over to the girl and was tending to her. The girl moaned in pain as Ed lifted her up with both arms and decided to take her with them to a hotel.

* * *

Sakuya woke with a start as she felt the horrendous pain pierce into her arm with as she felt her sprained shoulder. She pulled her shirt back slightly, revealing a gorgeous bruise. Her stomach showed flat and perfect, with the exception of the growing blue bruise. She suddenly realized someone else was in the room and looked around, her shirt dropping back over her stomach. Ed and Al slept shoulder to shoulder on the floor, their backs to the wall. Ed's chest was wrapped in bandages and Al had been repaired. She felt slightly relieved. She guessed from the bloody sleeves that the young blonde boy had killed the wolf. It was a feat for someone who was mortal. Of course, she was mortal right now, but she could go back into a shinsigami if she wanted to. A shinsigami was a God of Death who protected the mortal world from supernatural happenings. She had been working overtime, with her partner Tayuki, for supernatural events were now common. It had something to do with the legendary Philosopher's Stone which was considered a mere stone to the shinsigami since they were immortal and had chilling powers. She watched the two as they snored peacefully. So this was the two boys who had found the Philosopher's Stone and saw the Gate. One had even made it past. Amazing that they were so young, she thought. She lifted the covers to see that her pants were also off. Her shirt was half a gi and she wore blue jeans. Her legs were mottled with bruises covered in bandages. Those pervs, she thought. Although, she smiled at the thought of the small one looking at her underwear. Now her face became serious. If these two were the ones the shinsigami talked about, the ones all the supernatural events had been happening to, then they were in trouble. The Nyaku werewolf was proof of that. They were so peaceful looking. Suddenly, out of the corner of her mind, she saw a flicker. The small one was moving. His eyes flickered, as he adjusted to the light and stared at Sakuya.

"You're awake huh?"

"Yes...Thank you small one."

"WHAT!"

The metal one woke up also from the yell.

"He does not like being called small."

"Haha."

"You crazy grandma."

Just then, she saw something glinting on the boy's arm. He looked towards it and smiled.

"So you see it huh?"

"What is it?"

"Auto-mail, a metal replacement for a limb."

Sakuya gasped out loud, but the boy shrugged it off. Instead, he sat into a more comfortable position and started to shoot off questions.

"Who are you?"

"Sakuya."

"I'm Ed Elric. This is my brother Al Elric."

"Nice to meet you both of you."

"Why did you save us?"

"Because...I am a shinsigami."

"God of Death...Why are you here if you're a dead police?"

Sakuya glowered at that remark but answered the question anyways.

"Because, somethings have been happening to the world, that'll throw it off balance soon. You may have seen. It has something to do with the Philosopher's Stone."

Ed glanced as Al, who returned the glance. Could this random girl be on the same mission as they were?

"Do you know anything about the Blood Snake?"

"Yes."

"Tell us, it is important towards the incidents you talk of."

"I will show you."

Sakuya touched their foreheads and suddenly, whisked them away into an age old time. In front of him stood flames and destruction, burning cities into ash. He smelled death all around the air, his heart ripped open at what he saw. He saw a mother's body clutching his dead son, her own body torn to pieces. Blood littered the ground, puddles of it everywhere. Ed's ears pricked up a scream of pure terror. His eyes widened as he heard the splat of a body, the crying of death, and the splurt of blood. He feared what he would see behind him. He heard Al gasp in horror at what he saw. Ed slowly turned around, trying to stop...

Ed staggered back, his mind full of death. He crashed onto the bed as the flashback ended. He cried out, the images still pounding into his mind. He screamed a wail of terror and helplessness. He clutched his head, rolling around in agony, as Al and Sakuya looked at him forlornly. He could feel their death, their pain, their terror, all resounding in his soul. He cried out again, feeling the visions tear him apart. He rolled off the bed onto his knees, the pain reaching deep into his mind. He shrieked pure horror, pure pain that resounded in Sakuya's mind. This boy...his spirit connection was unbelievably strong. He felt their pain. Al moved towards his brother, but Sakuya reached towards Ed instead, and touched his shoulder.

"Why...?"

"Because, men summoned it, showed it violence, showed it their weaknesses, how to exploit them. They thought they could use a spirit of neutraility. One that does not work for any being. In return, it gave its pain back to them a thousand fold."

"We are all bastards...All of us..."

"I know."

Then she held him as he cried, his tears falling onto the ground, dampening the carpet, as Al looked at him, and finally joined Sakuya in comforting Ed.

* * *

Wings: So...sad...i never knew i'd feel sorry for you Ed.

Ed: Screw you.

Wings: Hahahahaha

Ed: (sticks tongue out)

Wings: I learned this from my friend. (grabs tongue and cuts it off)

Ed: YOWWWWWWWWWW!

Wings: Hahahahaa Cya.


	10. Kenji, Flame Alchemist of the Dead

Full Metal Alchemist: The Blood Snake

Wings: I created Sakuya so she's all mine!

Ed: But I like her.

Wings: I thought you liked Winry O.o

Ed: WHAT! I don't mean it like that...

Wings: Right...

Ed: Kisama...

Wings: What did you call me?

Ed: Nothing...

Wings: (grabs giant mace) DIE!

Ed: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Chapter 10: Kenji

Sakuya felt her pocket and pulled out a pocketknife. With it, she carved the air, a blue glow appearing, and soon, a window opened up. A young man's face appeared.

"Sakuya! Where have you been?"

"Later...Tayuki, find out all you can on the Blood Snake. And the X scenario."

"The X scenario! This is serious..."

"Hurry Tayuki, we don't have much time."

"Gotcha."

Sakuya closed the window and turned back to Ed and Al. They searched on their pocket computer for any information on the Blood Homunculus. Nothing had appeared so far.

"How's it going Ed?"

"Nothing yet...I can't believe this is so serious that dead people get involved."

"I'm not dead right now."

"Sure..."

Ed turned away from Sakuya's glowering gaze and looked out the window. The skies were darkening. Sakuya had said that was the result of powerful evil. Something was coming...

"Sakuya!"

Sakuya rushed over to Al who had found something on the pocket computer. Ed ran over and looked over their shoulders. A full section on Blood Homunculus had appeared, but suddenly, it all disappeared and a password lock appeared to replace it.

"Shit! Password block..."

"Ed can you crack it?"

"I'll try"

Ed clacked a few keys and hacked right in. Wooping with joy, the trio read the first line. But before they could get farther...

"Ed duck!"

The window crashed open and a giant cinderblock piece flew where Ed's head had been. He rushed to the window and looked out to see a huge chunk missing in the sidewalk. Ed jumped out the window and fell three stories. His automail held, but he felt the creakiness lagging. He would have to stop jumping from all these windows. He immediately alchemized his arm and ran over to the missing part of the sidewalk. There was nothing there to give away who it had been. He looked all around, but saw no trace. Then he heard Sakuya scream.

"Brother! Look!"

Ed looked to where Al was pointing and watched with horror as all the lights in Central whisked out. A gigantic black cloud flew over the sky and smothered any light. Soon, all of Central was in total darkness.

Roy Mustang looked out the window and saw the darkness. He knew what it meant. His arm tingled and he looked at the scar on his wrist. Jagged and wide, it seemed to burn and glow.

"Edward Elric...be careful, for a great evil is arriving."

Ed groped his way around with his hand until he was rewarded by touching something soft and lumpy. It was covered in a thin soft material surprisingly like cotton...

"ED! WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING ME!"

Sakuya slapped him clear out as he recoiled his hand from her chest. Al clanked over to his brother to see the ugly bruise arising on his cheek.

"I think I deserved that."

"Shut up!"

Sakuya looked at the sky and saw something glowing. Obviously Ed and Al couldn't see it because their spirit connection was weaker than hers. It glowed bright and started to fall...towards them. Sakuya grabbed Ed and Al and whisked them away from the area with surprising strength, as a large flaming object crashed into the sidewalk. Sakuya rolled into a crouching position as Ed and Al fell with a bump onto the road. Ed immediately looked towards the sky and saw another flaming object heading for them. He snapped his fingers and shot a streak of fire at the object and split it in half. Sakuya could not believe this mortal had such spirit connection.

"Brother! What's going on!"

"Stay still Al. We're being fired on."

"That's obvious!"

The metal one could see it too! Did the Gate influence that much? Did seeing death increase their spirit connection? Sakuya looked to see another fireball heading their way. It roared menacingly as it blasted down in front of Ed. He jumped back as a large crater formed, destroying the weak foundations of the roads. A disturbing laughter rang out in the darkness. Ed drew closer to what he thought was Sakuya.

"Ed. Stay still."

Ed nodded, not caring if Sakuya saw or not. She raised her hand and a ball of light appeared in her hand. It illuminated a small part of the city. She scanned it around like a searchlight just in time to see a blur of black and to hear the clanging of steel. Sakuya dug her heels in as an incredible force pressed into her partially drawn blade. Then the force disappeared. She scanned the place again with the light and the black blur struck her with the hilt of a sword. She flung back onto the granite and Ed yelled in anguish. He flung his blade at the blur, who blocked it easily and tripped him with a sweep of his foot. Ed fell onto the ground and screamed in pain as the black figure stabbed him with a dagger in the shoulder. Ed kicked him in the crotch with aggression.

"SHIT! YOU ASSHOLE! YOU KICKED MY BALLS!"

"What the hell!"

"Kenji!"

Kenji looked at Sakuya closely then growled at her. Sakuya narrowed her eyes as Ed stood looking at them both.

"What's going on?"

Sakuya slashed out at Kenji who flipped back and dodged the silver katana. Sakuya roared in anger and tried to cut him again. Kenji merely dodged it once more and kicked her in the shin. She howled in pain, screaming curses at Kenji. Ed exploded with rage.

"WHAT'S GOING ON!"

Sakuya spat at Kenji who stuck his tongue out.

"Kenji's my ex-boyfriend."

"!"

"Yeah, he cheated on me in our 5th year of dating."

"Ouch..."

"So why are you back here Kenji?"

"Well...Master Sheji doesn't want you to work on this mission anymore."

"Sheji! Liar!"

"He gave me permission to attack you with force if you refused."

Sakuya gritted her teeth and hefted her silver katana. It glowed in the darkness as Kenji raised his hand. It glowed with a fiery gold.

"You! You shot those flames at us!"

"Hey, I have permission to use flame alchemy."

Kenji hefted the glove in his hand and slashed at Sakuya who dodged to the side. She raised her blade to hit him but suddenly, he disappeared behind her and knocked her out. As she fell to the ground, Ed struck Kenji in the shoulder with his blade. Kenji grimaced as blood spilled from his shoulder and flashed his hand. Another golden flame struck Ed in the chest as he flew back. He flipped over, clutching his burned chest and alchemized the ground. A spike of concrete rumbled out and struck Kenji, throwing him to the air. Kenji roared out and landed on a building. Ed ran over, looking at the continuously darkening sky. Kenji laughed out and struck his hands into the sky. A flaming meteor struck down, flashing its fiery rage as Ed jumped to the side. His eyes widened as he felt his auto-mail give out. It wouldn't move. He slapped his auto-mail, felt the heat of the metorite getting closer.

"Brother!"

Al alchemized the the building to shield Ed from the meteorite. A flaming inferno lashed out, burning the shield, completely covering Ed and Al as Kenji laughed out loud. Gold sparks ran all around, the streets burning ablaze. Sakuya staggered up, her chest crushed, pain splicing into her ribs. Ed..Al! Kenji saw her moving and flicked a finger to her, a blazing inferno shot towards her. She stepped back, trying to avoid it as the heat came closer...

Mustang lifted himself off the bed with difficulty. He grasped a cane that Hawkeye had brought him and opened the door. So...A flame alchemist from the dead. He smiled at the new challenge and took his hat from the stand. Then, he walked out the door, ignoring the screams from all around.

Sakuya bled from a head wound and from her cut lip. Her clothes were nearly scorched to bits, her body covered in fresh raw welts. She stood up slowly, watching Kenji as he lifted his finger to summon another flaming bolt at her.

"Any last words Sakuya?"

"Go to hell bastard."

"Ouch. That truly hurts me. Too bad you dumped me. Hahahaha!"

He flicked his fingers and another flame leaped towards Sakuya. Her last bit of energy just barely lifting her up, she raised her hand and summoned Gaia.

"Earth Bounder Gaia! Arise!"

The earth rumbled as a large spike erupted from the darkness and intervened with the flame. Kenji gritted his teeth, seeing that Sakuya had disappeared. Then, a large crack sounded out and a giant boulder swung out at him. Gaia...Kenji dodged the boulder, the rock whistling as it crashed into a building. Gaia, the spirit of earth completely created from rocks, stood in a hideous form of spikes and humps. Roaring out, it swung another boulder at Kenji, who calmly lept away. He took a lighter out and smiled. Flicking a cigarette to his lips, he lifted the lighter to light it. Gaia screeched a piercing sound, charging at Kenji. Kenji lit the cigarette with alchemy and took the top of the lighter. Then using the fuel, he burned his cigarette into a streak of flames, moving it towards Gaia. It burned through the rock and soil, a disturbing scream clashing with the crackle of flames. Kenji's eyes glowed with the flames, his eyes alight with the devil. He flicked his fingers behind him to strike Sakuya, who had almost struck him with her katana. She fell back, feeling the pain numb as her body shut down.

"How beautiful you look Sakuya when you're almost dead. Goodbye love."

Kenji raised his hand to strike Sakuya, when a knife tore his glove completely open. He twisted back to see Mustang holding the daggers that Hughes used when he was alive. He flicked another one to cut open Kenji's leg. Kenji bent down in pain and grimaced. Mustang smirked and saw Kenji's hand raise up, clutching an extra glove. How predictable.

"Die!"

Kenji shot a flame at Mustang who cut right through it with the dagger, striking Kenji in the side. The gaping wound stared out of Kenji as he spat out blood.

"How in the world!"

"I'm the Flame Alchemist. I know flames the best, so therefore, I know its weaknesses. I learned this from a homunculus. I trained myself to see the direct air for the flame. Remember that as I burn you to dust."

"Ha! Let's see you try. You may have the weakness, but I have powers you will never have."

"Let us see."

Mustang grinned as Kenji bit his lip, tasting the blood. This was going to be hard...For he had heard of the Flame Alchemist, who had killed a homunculus as a mortal. With alchemy. The one who had done so much for the Ishbal War. Mustang cried out and ran towards Kenji, flashing his daggers as Kenji gripped the hidden katana on his back. And the showdown of the Flame alchemists began. One alive, one dead.

Wings: Strange how things can seem so real, then dead people enter the whole thing.

Ed: It's obvious there's going to be something so powerful, we're all going to fry unless we have supernatural powers.

Wings: You are supernatural, you have alchemy! plus, why'd you spoil the storyline! (slap)

Ed: Kisama...

Al: Hi! I'm lonely, you guys never talk to me.

Wings: You're not interesting.

Al: Why?

Wings: cause you are calm and smart unlike ed who is stupid and high tempered.

Al: Wow. Someone finally understands my logical reasoning.

Ed: AL! Why ARE YOU SIDING WITH HIM!

Wings: Cause, he understands the logical reasoning and I do to.

Al: Exactly.

Ed: AL! TRAITOR!

AL; Sorry nee-san.

Ed: I'll get you!

Wings: Well, I'm referee! Adios people.


End file.
